Meant For You

one.

Miles Dempsey

"Ah, fuckkkk. That feels so fucking good."

My heavy eyes open and I turn my head over to glance at my teammate. His arms hang over the rim of the metal bathtub he's in, his body dipped into the colder than Antarctica water. I can't even feel any of my limbs from how long I've been in here. I look over at the small stopwatch that sits atop a white bucket.

1:37 left to go.

"Hey, you coming out with us tonight?" he asks, catching my attention. A small wince leaves his lips as he drags his bottom lip between his teeth. "Can't," I reply, tapping my fingers against the outside of the tub. My fingers slipping because of the condensation. "Why?" JT frowns. "I guess I can't go either." He frowns even harder.

I roll my eyes slightly. "You're going. I need the house tonight," I tell him. He turns to look at me for a long moment, but realization strikes him. A goofy smirk tugs onto his lips. "Oooooh. You're having Allie over, eh?" I try not to amuse my roommate even more by smiling, though it's hard not to around him.

Jason Tayler or JT has been my roommate for about four months now. The Kings drafted him from his pro team up in Vancouver. He didn't have anywhere to live down here in LA, so I offered to house the eighteen year old for as long as he needed. Our captain, Drew Anderson, did the same for me six years ago when I first came down to the States. I thought I'd take the kid in this time. After all, I was his biggest inspiration.

Those were his first words to me when we met. He was a fanboy.

I don't mind having him around, really. We get along great and I kind of missed having a roommate which I hadn't had since college. It only gets tough in times when I want to have a girl over. I would have gone out with guys tonight if Allie hadn't been so adamant about seeing me. It's been a while and since the kids going to be out anyway, I thought why not?

"I'll have Tate pick you up," is all I say. JT doesn't have a car yet and as much as I love him, I would never lend him any of mine. The timer interrupts him and I lean over to switch it off. I rise from the tub, my legs and torso red from the cold water. "He won't mind?" JT questions. I shake my head and grab a towel, wrapping it around my waist. "No. You're just gonna third wheel a bit." I grin.

JT groans. At the water or at my comment, I don't know. "They won't be like that all night, right?" he asks. I laugh. "You'll be with the other guys at the bar, I'm sure you'll get rid of Tate and Kaitlyn then." Tate is my best friend. Not only did we play hockey together at Harvard, but he was also my roommate. We both got drafted by the Kings after only a year in college. I never thought he'd settle down before me but I want to slap him across the face every time I see how smitten he is with his girlfriend.

Kaitlyn has always been Tate's girl but she didn't actually become his girl until a couple of months ago. It's a complicated one.

"Hopefully. I can't stand people being in love, bleh." He fakes a gag and I smile. "Once you fall in love, you won't be talking that smack, kid," I say like I've actually ever been in love. I haven't. JT makes a face. "That'll never happen. You know I've never met a girl my whole life that I've been genuinely interested in?" he tells me. I tuck my lips between my mouth to hold back a laugh.

"You might have to start considering another option then," I say, grabbing my junk over my towel. His forest green eyes widen like saucers. "Fuck no! I'm not gay! I worded that wrong." He frowns. I laugh, shaking my head. I'm just teasing him. I know he likes women, he's just not a man yet. He gets shy around pretty girls and can't flirt with one to save his life. I've seen it firsthand. "These girls just want one thing so I give it to them and then they scurry. I'm fine with that. I'm too busy for a relationship anyway."